The field of the invention comprises devices to provide thermal transfer to a moving fluid and, in particular, to devices that utilize a moving fluid to heat or cool laboratory materials and apparatus.
Much scientific equipment and material for laboratory use such as electrophoresis gels and apparatus is cooled or heated by placing the gel or apparatus on a glass plate, in turn provided with a supporting structure and means to pass a fluid underneath the glass plate. Typically, the supporting structure includes tubes or grooves through which the fluid passes underneath the plate. The fluid is either heated or cooled to provide the necessary heat transfer from the laboratory materials or apparatus thereabove. The glass plate must be evenly heated or cooled for extended periods of time to prevent hot spots or cool spots which could damage the materials or disturb the operation of the laboratory apparatus and therefore interfere with the results from the operation of the laboratory apparatus.